Welcome to The Urban Daddy weblog. Not your typical "Daddy" blog because I am not your typical Daddy. Originating from Toronto, Ontario, Canada in 2004. Follow our exploits as we proceed through life with the odds stacked against us. Three of them and two of us.

This is one of me pet peeves. People who shovel their snow in the street instead of on their lawns. If you live in the greater Toronto Area, you would know, or should know, that it is against the city bylaws. If you get caught doing this – the city had bylaw officers out last winter ticketing houses in my area – and if you don’t pay it, they tack it onto your property taxes.

Best choice… Don’t do it. The fine is somewhere between $150-$300 but cannot exceed $5000.

I’ve actually stopped my car and told residents about the bylaw and had many of them look at me like I was crazy, and also thank me for letting them know. Most people just don’t know.

In case you were wondering what section of the municipal code this falls under, I have provided it below, it is 719-5. Feel free to google it, print it out and hand it to that annoying neighbour who fills the street with their snow making it very difficult to drive or walk around their house.

Chapter 719 of the Toronto Municipal Code:

SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL

§ 719-1. Definitions.

§ 719-2. Time limit for removal of snow and ice from sidewalks.

§ 719-3. Removal from sidewalks by city; recovery of costs.

§ 719-4. Removal from structures.

§ 719-5. Moving snow onto streets.

§ 719-6. Offences.

§ 719-7. Use of the word “highway.”

§ 719-8. Transition

[HISTORY: Adopted by the Council of the City of Toronto 1999-7-29 by By-law No. 530-1999. Amendments noted where applicable.]

GENERAL REFERENCES

Traffic and parking — See Ch. 950.

§ 719-1. Definitions.

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:

BUILDING — Includes the land and premises appurtenant to the building.

§ 719-2. Time limit for removal of snow and ice from sidewalks.

A. Every owner or occupant of any building must, within 12 hours after any fall of snow, rain or hail has ceased, clear away and completely remove snow and ice from any sidewalk on any highway in front of, alongside or at the rear of the building.

B. After the removal of snow and ice, if any portion of the sidewalk becomes slippery from any cause, the owner or occupant must immediately and as often as necessary apply to the sidewalk ashes, sand, salt or some other suitable material so as to completely cover the slippery surface.

C. Subsection A does not apply to an owner or an occupant of a building where, pursuant to City of Toronto policy, the City of Toronto has undertaken the responsibility to clear away and completely remove snow and ice from the sidewalk on the highway in front of, alongside or at the rear of the building at that location.

1999-11-25 by By-law No. 776-1999]

TORONTO MUNICIPAL CODE

§ 719-3 SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL

719-2

§ 719-3. Removal from sidewalks by city; recovery of costs.

A. Where snow and ice resulting from any fall of snow, rain or hail has not been removed from a sidewalk situated on a highway in front of, alongside or at the rear of any occupied or unoccupied building or vacant lot, within 12 hours after the fall of snow, rain or hail has ceased, the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services or a person appointed by the Commissioner may, at the expense of the owner of the building or vacant lot, clear away and remove the snow and ice, including the remediation of any slippery sidewalk.

B. The Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services must keep an account of all expenses incurred in doing the work and of the building or vacant lot in respect to which the work was done.

C. The expenses incurred in doing the work may be collected or recovered from the owner of the building or vacant lot in any manner, including the manner provided by section 326 of the Municipal Act.1

§ 719-4. Removal from structures.

A. The owner or occupant of any building which fronts or abuts on or is erected near to a highway, from which snow or ice may fall upon the highway, must, whenever snow or ice accumulates upon any portion of the building to an extent that is dangerous to the public using the highway, sidewalk or lane way, cause the snow or ice to be immediately removed from the building.

B. The owner or occupant must take proper care and precaution for the warning and the safety of the public using the highway, sidewalk and lane way, during the removal of the snow and ice.

§ 719-5. Moving snow onto streets.

No property owner, occupant or other person shall move or permit to be moved snow or ice from private property onto a highway, sidewalk or lane way.

§ 719-6. Offences.

[Amended 1999-11-25 by By-law No. 776-1999]

Every person who contravenes any provision of this chapter is guilty of an offence and on conviction is liable to a fine as provided for in the Provincial Offences Act.2. A person convicted of an offence is liable to a fine of not more than $5,000.

SNOW AND ICE REMOVAL § 719-7

719-3

§ 719-7. Use of the word “highway.”

The meaning of the word and expression “highway” where used in this chapter shall have the same meanings attributed to the word and expression by the Highway Traffic Act,

Snow and Ice Removal and §313-3 of Chapter 313, Streets and Sidewalks, of the Municipal Code of the former City of Toronto, Chapter 223, Snow and Ice, of the Municipal Code of the former City of Etobicoke, By-law No. 701 of the former Borough of East York, being a by-law “For the removal of snow and ice from public

sidewalks,” By-law No. 1381 of the former Borough of East York, Chapter 838,

Snow Clearing – Sidewalk and Chapter 1004, Street, of the Municipal Code of the former City of York, By-law No. 1212-71 of the former Borough of York, By-law No. 3343-79 of the former Borough of York, By-law No. 17117 of the former City of Scarborough, By-law No. 21621 of the former City of North York, being “A Bylaw to prohibit or regulate the obstructing, encumbering, injury or fouling of highways,” and By-law No. 5630 of the former City of North York (collectively referred to as the “other Snow and Ice Removal By-laws”) and any and all provisions therein shall remain in force until expressly repealed.

B. In the event of any conflict between any one or more of the other snow and ice removal by-laws and this chapter, this chapter shall govern.

[Amended 1999-12-16

by By-law No. 891-1999

Editor’s Note: This by-law provided that § 719-8B shall be effective on the earlier of: (a) the date that the City Solicitor files

a notice in the office of the City Clerk that the City of Toronto has received from the Regional Senior Justice of the Court of Ontario approved set fines for the offences set out in City of Toronto By-law No. 530-1999, as amended, being a by-law “To Provide for Snow and Ice Removal;” and (b) February 4, 2000.